Study of some parameters affecting the in vitro cultivation of Plasmodium falciparum within saimiri sciureus red blood cells

Abstract

The in vitro growth and multiplication of the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum within Saïmiri sciureus (squirrel monkey) red blood cells have been studied. Various parameters, such as the origin of the red blood cells and serum supplement, nature of the buffer, influence of the final pH of the medium, role of proteose peptone and glucose addition, were investigated. The selection of the best culture conditions led to the obtention of a reproducible in vitro growth of two parasite cycles in Saïmiri erythrocytes, which is an useful achievement for in vitro studies. Our failure to establish a continuous culture line for longer than 19 days, could be explained by a dramatic increasing of osmotic fragility of the Saïmiri red blood cells related to their small size.

Cultivation of Asexual Intraerythrocytic Stages of Plasmodium falciparum

“…Peterson et al [ 117 ] also successfully cultivated several strains of P. falciparum in the erythrocytes of Aotus trivirgatus . Attempts to propagate P. falciparum strains in vitro using Saimiri sciureus (squirrel monkey) erythrocytes were met with limited success, i.e., up to three weeks of continuous culture [ 118 ]. By contrast, few laboratory-adapted P. falciparum strains (Palo Alto I/Uganda, FCB/Colombia) have been adapted to propagate in vivo in splenectomized Saimiri sciureus and adapted back to in vitro propagation in human erythrocytes [ 119 , 120 ].…”